Just wondering what's recommended. Whether it's a pistol, rifle, or shotgun...... I like to to feel prepared but paranoid of wearing out the mag spring. I don't even keep the gun under my mattress loaded for that reason.

Now, I'm no pro, but keeping the mag loaded is not an issue. What wears mag springs out is cycling them (i.e. load/unload, load/unload), and since that's what they are made to do, they ant going to wear out anytime soon. Do you have the sidearm around for home/self defense! If that's the case, the lives of you and your loved ones render the cost of the $10 mag spring down into abysmal insignificance.

In any event, it isn't going to hurt your spring. I've had the mag on my CZ83 laded for 2 years, and it had been loaded for about five years before that. No problems at all! Load 'em up with confidence!

It's a good question, and one I asked when I started shooting. As is, I keep every mag for every firearm I own loaded at al times. It's good for impromptu range sessions, and, God forbid, should the worst happen. My firearms are all either under lock and key or on my hip (not all on my hip at once, necessarily lol), but they are all ready to go.